Celeste in slow motion memory

Hi Barry, thanks, yes... it has a kind of vague hardly there sense in a way doesn't it, hope that's ok. My cheeks, I don't know, but I lived in the bush as a littley (sherbrooke forest was our back yard literally, spent most of my early life up trees) & my mother never drove, there was a fruit/veg truck that would come to the houses, that man could pinch a cheek, I would hide if I could it used to hurt!!! I suspect you get that sense because I am in play mode, my little charge is 4 (just had a new baby sister) & we have a weekly fun session, this one included her "instant long hair" wig she made me put on. Fun is contagious, I wonder where the urge for cheek pinching comes from, is it a desire to be a part of the fun do you think, it's usually in response to endearing cheekiness don't you think? Oh punctuation... hmmm, I often leave it out unless it is midline, seems to clutter the write for me, I like the clean lines, but I would LOVE you to elaborate, what did you actually mean? I DID take out the question mark, though I am not sure I prefer it that way, it feels even weaker now at the end. Do appreciate the feedback. Cheers Anni~ "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". ~Elizabeth Stone

Hi Jean thank you - No there is no gene, you have all the Jean required! (terrible punning, sorry, cringe!). I don't mind at all if you talk of yourself... I teach singing & I am such an advocate for people just really listening (to themselves & others, most of singing is more about the listening than anything, like most of painting & drawing is in the seeing/looking, maybe with writing it is the same... read & read & write & read your own. I have seen poets here begin with very little confidence & gain that & far more skill in a very short time. It can be a great site for that. You will refine your skills in no time, just keep exploring your own & others work, here & in books, libraries, book shops & in your head & papers at home. Enjoy Cheers Anni~ "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". ~Elizabeth Stone

Thanks Lyz, fellow Aus girl, I am pleased to have pleased you! But didn't anyone ever tell you to stay clear of the hindquarters of horsey creatures?! Kidding! Cheers Anni~ "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". ~Elizabeth Stone

No, that's lovely thank you, I really like exploring such things, I think I would probably dearly love to go back to uni & do (yet another) course, how delicious to be among writers exploring such things as that of placement... I do know exactly what you mean... I play with it a lot in my song writing, though there is an added level in regard to rhythm & phrasing & tune... I am realising, though it can be similar, it is often quite a different creature to poetry. It isn't just the reduction of verbiage that changes things, it can be addition as well, I feel.... eg the night sends sleepy shadows, I covet them, I dream... to ... the night send sleepy shadows, I covet them, even so, I dream. I want to throw that in to tweek the intrigue for the lines to come, sets the pace for some explanation etc. Ah it is a rich vein this lovely medium we are priveliged to travel in. No, neither that plump, nor that red, & I am wondering if it is the critique that is uncomfortable or the question about cheek pinching... the latter aught to be as well (chuckle) Cheers Anni~ "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". ~Elizabeth Stone

Dear amazing Anna, how lovely to have you visit my page with this tragic story that harbours warmth all the same, heart breaking circumstances, ouch... I wonder too & I didn't even know them. I love this end you have fashioned, you of butterfly dusted wisdom... yes, she was actually that kind of quiet delicate & still... you know that lovely moment when a butterfly alights & just flexes it's wings as if to check they are still there. She was refined of movement like that, I love that last line too, I would not have thought to slip such a final line in this one... I will consider something like this (tomorrow after sleep), thank you, appreciate your visit of dendelion & cloud & beautiful butterfly gentle dusting. Cheers Anni~ "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body". ~Elizabeth Stone

Hmmm perfection is in the eye of the beholder, but it does read so much better now & ta for the ispiration... You are such a wonderful writer Anna, you comments mean a lot to me. Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Darling Ann of Summer smiling, you have, once more,written such a delightful addition here I rather like what you have written better than my own post... what fun we would have playing line for line you gorgeous one. As for the "t'was" suggestion, we have had such a discourse before & I am so loath to reject a suggestion from my wonderful poetic queen, but my previous sense stands, it would feel out of keeping here... If I'd written the poem in a more classic style I would fully agree for t'would be a more painterly write where frollicsome varbiage had room to wax & meld ere it had less solid borders. Still, I wrote it in more modern speak, & I just feel adding a lovely romantic joinage such as that would be a distraction & rather extraneous... perhaps though I should look to reduce the syllables in that line if that's what bothers you. Ah dear Ann, don't give up on me though, I do appreciate your words & ideas so much. Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Oh dear Gee,I do hope you are over you under the weatherness!! & yes, there have been many a night I have stayed up all night dreaming (or Neopoeting... sometimes a little the same, chuckle!) Always happy when you like them my friend, I have not looked to see the AEC results, I better go there soon & check, hope it was a good experience for you... then I must go search your latest writing. Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Ah my heavens you are a delightful critic... did anyone ever tell you you should be a writer by any chance? Or perhaps a seer?... Are you too young to be a wise person? I think not. You always seem to describe my processes so insightfully, you reach to the essence of my creative beast & unravel the jumble I think I leave on the page so it is a clear image of elaborate, deft strokes. Thank you Dale, I have no idea if I will ever see Celeste again, or even if she would like this... probably, it is her & others as well somehow, but in the end I surrender to the whims of the world & the meeting is in symbollic form only, sometimes that is all we have left... I learned to make it sacred long ago that symbollic completion. I am looking forward to reading your recent works when I have caught up here after my holidays. Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Ah dear Nina, lovely to see you here, I was just visiting your page to see if you had posted much in my absence, I see you have posted more blogs & been busy with AEC biz no doubt, glad to see you there of course you have put so much into this place & done such a great job during a tricky time too!! I am so glad you like this, I can understand your attraction to it, you are a good woman who knows the blessing of good female friends & inspirational women I think, I would not be surprised if you had a Celeste or 2 in various versions in your own history... Perhaps you are the Celeste for some of them! Great to see you, I began reading your "Dogma" blog, but have no opinion on it (I had barely any religeous indoctrination, though dabbled in more radical spiritual practice in my teens & early 20s, discovering recently I have practically lived my life as a buddhist since I was 13 & gave up meat & leather because I didn't need it & couldn't have killed a creature myself, I have no problem with others who can... blah blah), so I will await a new poem from you when you have more time. Warm wishes & love your way Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Dear Hugo, thank you, you write so clearly, & you are right of course, there is a tainting of sadness, there are lots of reasons for that. Glad you have liked this... great to see you spotlit. Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Steven, I am so pleased to have delivered something for you here. Always lovely to have your words grace my page. Yes dragonflies creatures far better appreciated from a quiet mind from a quiet space... My mind is bruised & feeling almost mangled just now. I watched "The last King of Scotland", I am still feeling nauseous from the brutality of it (Brian would laugh at me, & probably call me a sissy) & your words are so sweetly soothing. I guess I had hoped the creative spirit & often joyful interaction of Neo, might wash me of such nightmare scenes... sadly ones that really happened & sadly they are probably happening somewhere even as I pop these keys... erghh. It helps no one for me to dwell there... Perhaps I will have to write about it, hate that sense of impotence. Hopefully you are feeling brighter & less queezy! Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Thanks for these lovely words Raven, perhaps, as I said to Nina, you have (or ARE) a Celeste in your own life. I do love appreciating my sisters of soul, they are so very worthy of reflection & consideration. Dragonfly moments to you Raven Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Hi Peter (mentally shakes writing hands, since I think I have not met you here yet)& welcome (unless you have been around longer than I know, if so forgive me). I am sure you are right in your suggestion that I could cut things & tighten, & it would stand equally as vallid as any suggestion, it really is just taste, I will have another look at it in the light of your comment, but the tricky thing about a comment like this is... it really is taste, many people would find the way you choose to use the English language here distasteful... & many writers write far more, & far less convoluted works & are respected for it, it's the hardest thing isn't it, to know whose advice to take on or not. I try to be as broadminded & as open minded as I can (which is why I will take another look to see if I will cull as you suggest), I am not always as succinct as I'd like to be, but I do make efforts... You must have had some areas in particular you feel are superfluous? I wonder now what they would be, & what the peom would be without them (this is always my quandry, can you still include the elements you desire if you cull certain bits, or change them?) Anyway, not a terribly succinct answer really! Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Don't fret, some might be offended at that title, but I rather enjoy the idea of slow memories, delicious to savour reminsicence... like slow cooking or slow love making, it can really prolong the pleasure... not if you are into being succinct overly though I expect, might be less your style, you should try it some time though... very lovely way to spend a little life. Hmmm I do sound like a bit of a hedonist at times. Cheers Anni~ "The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself". Anais Nin:

Well, thank you for walking here with your idle mind (& welcome since you are a mnew face here) spreading sweet stars. I am most cheered that you were pulled in to your own version of Celeste, that was my hope... but I changed the poem moments after you left this for me, so I hope it still takes you to pleasant or worthy places with that wandering mind... Did you mean you felt I was left wandering in the past (as the teller) or the reader, as telling the story whilst reading? I must go wander through your writing also soon. Idly might be nice! Cheers Anni~ "When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace". H.H. the Dalai Lama